KitsuTsuki Prequel: The Runaway
by XelaKitsune
Summary: When Sakura humiliates Naruto after he hands her his heart, the crushed eighteen year old runs away. Unwittingly, he meets up with a certain shy Hyuuga who left a year before on a personal training mission. Will love bloom? Or will his heart never mend?
1. Gone?

Hello all this is my first fic on the site

Hello all this is my first fic on the site!!

**Xela:**Just to let you know this will be slightly AU as current manga chapters have revealed things that weren't known when I started this. I started this around the time Sasuke killed Orochimaru so that gives you a good idea.

**Tsuki:**Jaraiya is still alive, and Naruto has just finally retrieved sasuke who has not yet killed his brother, but willingly returned.

**Kitsu:**Fa- uh… I mean Naruto has yet to be told of his heritage. Instead of sixteen he was to be told at eighteen.

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto (but I do own all the OCs)**

* * *

Chapter One: Gone??

Tsunade noticed a scroll on the outside of the door to her apartment. It had a kunai holding it in place, which she pulled out. As she was about to open it Shizune came running down the hall. " Tsunade-sama!" she shouted. "Sasuke was captured trying to leave the village. Two ANBU have him apprehended in your office."

Tsunade groaned and stuck the scroll in her pocket, she could read it later, before heading down to her office. Sure enough, there was the Uchiha looking extremely pissed. "Damn it! Maybe you'll listen. I WASN'T leaving the village!"

"SHUT UP!" snapped one of the ANBU who prevented him from moving.

"You idiots Naruto's gonna be long gone by now!" shouted the enraged Uchiha. Tsunade froze and sat down.

"What did you say?" Sasuke sighed.

"Naruto RAN AWAY! Do I have to spell it out for you as well?!" He was cuffed in the back of the head for his outburst.

"Don't you DARE talk to our Hokage like that!" Snapped the ANBU that hit him, "You're lucky she didn't have you killed for what you did, you traitorous scum!"

"Out you two I would like to speak with him alone." The ANBU left, Tsunade indicated Sasuke should sit so he did, tensely.

"So will you listen?"

"I am"

"You have a scroll in your pocket, is it from Naruto?"

"How do you know what's in my pocket?"

"My eyes don't miss much…" he muttered, "and Naruto was acting odd. He seemed… hurt…" Tsunade leapt in.

"Is he okay?! Was he injured badly?! Who did it?!"

"Damn it! Not that kind of hurt! He seemed… I don't know… heartbroken. Anyway, I tailed him for a bit, but when he got close to the gates he used that damn flash thingy of his-"

"Hiraishin?" asked Tsunade interrupting.

"Yeah, Hiraishin, Whatever, as I was saying, he used that to get over and I got intercepted by the current guard!" Tsunade nodded idily.

"So, you let him leave." Sasuke actually growled in annoyance.

"I wasn't allowed outside! Weren't you listening! I was only ten meters from him when your dumb ass ANBU bastards intercepted me!" he had leapt to his feet and slammed his fist onto the desk in anger. Tsunade pushed him back into the chair.

"Calm down alright, or I'll knock you out myself" she warned.

"Calm down! I can't cal-" Tsunade knocked him out his a sleep genjutsu. She sighed and took out the scroll. It was indeed from Naruto, the handwriting was unmistakable.

_Dear Baa-chan,_

_If you're reading this then I'm already gone. I'm sorry; I didn't have time to inform you. Don't worry I'll be fine and don't try to look for me. I just need some time away. I don't know where I'll be going or how long I'll be gone but I'll be fine._

_Naruto_

_Oh and by the way in case you didn't already get it, DO NOT try to find me. Don't even think of looking for me cause if I don't wanna be found I WILL NOT BE FOUND._

She let the scroll roll back up and sobbed quietly before calling Shizune back in.

"Tsunade?" Tsunade looked up and handed her the scroll.

"Find Sakura, Kakashi, and Jaraiya now" Shizune finished reading the letter and nodded.

--

"What was the gaki thinking?!" roared Jaraiya after reading the letter, "Why would that ungrateful little-"

"Jaraiya!" shouted Tsunade.

Kakashi sighed, "This is just perfect…" he leaned back against the wall, "Why now? Of all times." Sakura looked down guiltily; it was her fault he left…

Flashback

…_Sakura entered and saw Sasuke slumped in a chair._

"_Sasuke!"_

"_Sakura leave him!" snapped Tsunade before turning to the two others she had summoned, "Now have any of you seen Naruto recently?"_

"_Like I want to see him!" hissed Sakura, "He never leaves me alone! I wish he'd go away!"_

"_Well, you got your wish then Sakura 'cause he's gone." ..._

End Flashback

…She couldn't stand it anymore, she broke out in tears.

"It's my fault!" everyone stopped and looked at her.

"What? Of course it isn't" said Kakashi.

"Yes it is! He-he… tried to propose to me!" she sobbed, "I turned him down!" Tsunade put a hand on her former apprentice's arm comfortingly.

"I doubt That would make him run away Sakura."

"NO! you don't understand, I ridiculed him." Sasuke, who was awake now, glared at Sakura.

"You BITCH!" he raised his hand to slap her but was caught by Kakashi.

"Sasuke… calm down. I'm sure Sakura regrets her actions."

"I hope she does, if not she's gonna regret it" he tensed and tried to break away but was held firmly.

"Sasuke stop!" shouted Kakashi, "We're all angry with Sakura for being heartless but you have no right to attack her for what she did." He narrowed his eye as he looked at Sakura, who flinched, "I hope you know what you've done Sakura, 'cause it's gonna be hell to track him down" _'If he's anything like his father, which he is, it will be impossible' _"You are sending a team to retrieve him aren't you?" Tsunade nodded "okay, well you should know he can create gaps in his path a kunai's throw apart…" he trailed off

"Do you think you could find him if you leave now?"

Kakashi visibly stiffened as he heard the Hokage ask this. As important as Naruto's safe return was he couldn't leave the village at this time… He had other responsibilities now. And Naruto could look after himself.

"I uh…"

Tsunade sighed, "Kakashi I know you have a duty to your girlfriend and unborn child but you also have a duty to Minato don't you?"

Kakashi sighed and hung his head "But Anko… I need to be there for her and the baby."

"I'll have Kurenai look in on her, so can you leave now?" Kakashi nodded and with one last defeated sigh, vanished in a puff of smoke.

"I-I didn't know Anko was pregnant" whispered Sakura, "How far along is she?"

Tsunade sighed "Oh, she's a little over five months now."

"I had no idea."

"You obviously don't pay much attention to anyone but yourself" snarled Sasuke, "It was obvious she was pregnant last time I saw her."

"Sasuke shut up! You're giving me a headache and no, it isn't that obvious. She hasn't really started showing until recently and she wears that jacket which covers up her stomach." Tsunade looked up and frowned,

"Jaraiya why are you still here?"

"I…" he was flung out the window before he could give his answer.

"I should get going too" said Sakura getting up.

"No!" shouted Tsunade, "You've helped quite enough Sakura just go home. Sasuke, escort her would you."

"Can't, I'm under curfew now. I've gotta go home." He walked out and met the ANBU waiting in the hall and allowed himself to be _escorted _home.

--

Kakashi knew he was supposed to start searching right away, but instead he went home first. Anko sat on the couch waiting for him.

"So? What did she want?" she asked getting up. She was ready for bed, wearing a pair of pajama pants and a large T-shirt. You could just see the outline of her swollen belly under the material. She snuggled into his arms for an embrace before expecting his answer.

"Naruto ran away. I've got a mission to find him and drag his ass home."

Anko frowned "How long will that take?"

"Well…" he sighed, "Naruto's just like Sensei was, so it'll be near impossible to find him… Three weeks."

"Great…"

There was a knock on the door. Kakashi opened it to find Shizune standing in the doorway.

"Tsunade said you'd be here." She sighed handing him a scroll. "Here's the mission. Find Yamato and Sai as well, they'll be joining you."

"I'm going too." Stated Anko "Since all we're doing is looking for the gaki I'll be fine."

Kakashi rolled his eyes.

"Not happening Anko, you stay here and take care of yourself." He ordered.

Anko responded by digging her nails into her boyfriend's arm. "I'll be fine. Its only a recon mission."

"Anko I will not allow you to endanger _my_ unborn child. The two of you are my responsibility and I will not take any risks. _Do you understand?_"

A staring match ensued until Anko finally looked tearfully away from his stern gaze. He was not backing down.

"Fine!" She snapped shoving him away before storming out of the room and slamming the bedroom door. Kakashi felt a hand on his arm.

"She'll be fine. Kurenai and I will look out for her 'kay." Shizune said with a reassuring smile.

"Aren't you coming?" Kakashi asked in surprise. "Naruto is important to you too."

She shrugged and patted her belly lightly. "I might be pregnant so I can't."

"_Might_ be?"

She nodded "Too early to tell, but I hope so, as does Iruka."

"Well good luck." He stepped outside.

"You too, I'll stay here for a bit, Just in case she tries to follow."

"Thank you." And with that he left to find the rest of the tracking party.

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**Xela: **Well thats the first chapter. I hope it's okay. Till next time -bye bye


	2. Running

**Xela:** You like me! You really like me! (rushes up to reader)  
**Tsuki:** Woah! (grabs Xela before she can hug reader) Calm down girl.  
**Kitsu: **Leave her be Tsuki. She's just happy that the readers like her.  
**Xela:** Yes, thank you all so much especially to those who reviewed. To those who wanted to review but don't have an account, sorry but I don't accept anonymous reviews...  
Well anyway, I forgot to mention last time that some of the characters may be a little OOC. Thats just the way they turned out. Oh! and keep in mind what I mentioned in the last chapter. Now here's Tanaro with a important message...

(Tanaro walks out with a sign)  
**Tanaro: **(sighs) This is the disclaimer: **Xela DOES NOT own NARUTO, Kishimoto-sensei does. But Kitsu, Tsuki, and all her other OCs including me she does own. **There, now keep the following in mind: (holds up a new sign)

/"normal talking"/

/**"Kyuubi talking"**/

/'normal thinking'/

/**'Kyuubi thinking'**/ (not that he usually thinks mostly he just states everything outloud)

* * *

Chapter Two: Running

Naruto loved the feel of the wind that blew through his hair. He threw his pronged kunai that he had received from Kakashi, and in a flash, pulled it from the ground where it had landed. He estimated he'd traveled a hundred meters that time. He laughed, and thrust more chakra his legs, he was nothing but a yellow blur when he ran at this insane speed. He guessed his speed to equal to Lee's without the weights but, unlike Lee, he could keep up this pace for up to thirty kilometers and that was without his hiraishin _leaps_.

He dodged a large rock. It always amazed him that he didn't get tunnel vision at this speed. He could see everything normally though, since somehow his vision was able to adapt the speed. Not that he ever dwelt on the oddity of his eyes these days. He had the Yondaime Hokage's technique and was the only person since its maker to be successful at it.

But hell, he was the Flash Maverick after all, a nickname he had acquired when he'd first performed hiraishin by mistake in front of a large crowd – he had been trying to use his new version of shushin, not his fault the hand seals were the same – Kakashi had been right, don't take Yondaime's techniques lightly.

Naruto started to feel the beginnings of fatigue. He slowed his pace to normal, keeping his stride long, not that normal was really _normal_ for him. Naruto was still running at the speed of an Olympic sprinter. His eyes blurred for a moment, adjusting to the speed change.

He didn't know where he was going exactly, just that he couldn't let himself be followed. And he had made certain he wasn't. He had made quite a mess of any trail he had left behind. The path he had created was full of backtracking, water sources, and a ditch or two. Though his original plan had been to stay with Gaara in Suna, but that was too obvious a hiding place, where better to hide than with the closest allies of Konoha. Naruto wasn't as stupid as people thought. So he had sent a clone in that direction. Hopefully, any search party Tsunade would send when she found his letter would follow his clone instead of himself.

It was getting dark but he saw lights in the distance. He put on a little more speed from his energy reserves just as a late October rain broke out overhead. The rain looked like it would be brief but violent. Naruto laughed, it seemed God was on his side.

He leapt onto the roof of the nearest building using the sharp retractable claws he had developed recently, thanks to his being a Jinchuuriki.

"Damn this rain is freezing!" he growled.

"**Then what are you waiting for kit!" **snapped his tenant, **"find shelter. This coastal village is far enough for now."**

--

"No sign of him this way" sighed pakkun as he sniffed the ground. "Our best bet is to head for Suna. It is the most probable place to find him since he did take off in that direction. But with this rain…Most of the scent has washed away."

Kakashi looked to Jiraiya for answers. Jiraiya nodded in agreement. "Alright Pakkun, lead the way. As a former Jinchuuriki the Kazekage may be able to at least know where the gaki went" the Sannin then sighed and shook his head, "But he and Gaara are close friends so I doubt he would actually assist in the search."

"If we use Tsunade-sama as our ace he may actually tell us what he knows. He can't lie if the Hokage orders him to tell what he knows" suggested Yamato.

"But he'll want some sort of warrant." Added Kakashi sadly, "and we didn't bring anything like that. Getting a warrant will take time that we don't have."

"What's got you suddenly so upset about time?" stated Sai dully, "You're always late."

This touched a nerve; Kakashi spun around and grabbed Sai by the front of his shirt. "Why don't you say that to my face? I'm not in the mood for any of your fucking comments!" 'Damn it! Where the hell are you Naruto?'

--

Naruto entered the small inn he had located in the little village. He shook out his mane of wet hair, causing the innkeeper to almost drop the book he was reading upon seeing the shinobi.

"Holy shit! Are you The Flash?"

Naruto's face flushed, he still was not quite used to his new title. "Why do you ask?" he muttered embarrassed.

"The hair, Though if you are indeed The Flash I'm surprised. The Flash has supposedly been dead for almost twenty years."

"Oh _that_ Flash, no, I'm not him. I guess you call me the second Flash of Konoha, Uzamaki Naruto, Flash Maverick of Konoha." This made the other man smile.

"Ah, so you're his son then?"

Naruto shrugged and scratched the back of his head with a laugh. "No. Not that I know of… How do you know of him anyway? This village isn't even in the same country."

"Well he once saved this village from invading Kiri-nin some twenty or so years back… Stayed here… walked through the door just as you did after a heavy rain, his hair plastered flat." The innkeeper paused thoughtfully for a second. "So do you want a room? I only have one free currently; my other room is booked surprisingly enough, by another Konoha-nin. Ah, and what do you know here she is now."

A young woman walked into the room. Her dark hair flowed to her mid-back. Her pale pupil less eyes went wide as she turned towards the new inn tenant. She froze. "N-naruto?" she stuttered in surprise.

"Hinata?!" he shouted just as shocked as she was.

"Oh, so you know each other good. So hinata-san could you be so kind as to show our new guest to his room?"

She nodded silently, trying to keep from fainting.

"Um… I have no clue how long I'll be staying, um…"

"Gento" supplied the innkeeper.

"Yeah, Gento, I have no clue how long I'll be staying…"

"Tell you what," suggested Gento, "you can stay here for free this week. You've brought back some pleasant memories of my youth."

"Uh thanks, I don't know how to repay you. I uh…" he scratched the back of his head causing Hinata to giggle and blush. Gento looked at the two and smiled.

'Ah, young love…" thought Gento "reminds me of when that Flash fellow… Minato was it? stayed here. Spent most of the night ranting on to me about some girl he was going to marry when he finally got home.'

"C-come o-on N-naruto I'll… um… sh-show you t-to your room" stammered Hinata.

"Thank you Hinata!" he took he hand.

"EEP!" she blushed and jerked her hand away. 'Naruto just touched my hand! Oh God, don't faint.'

"Sorry, I guess I was being impulsive" he muttered. Hinata caught the sadness in his tone.

'Oh Naruto…' she sighed. "N-no I'm s-sorry I-I was just surprised" she inched her hand closer to his until their fingers touched. 'Don't faint. Don't faint…' Naruto took her hand in his careful of his still extended claws.

"**Retract claws baka!"** hissed Kyuubi.

"Oops…" muttered Naruto still not used to the act of retracting his claws. Hinata felt the subtle changes in the chakra of Naruto's hands but dismissed it as she was still dwelling in the revelry of her hand in his.

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**Xela: **Well thats the chapter. Please review!  
**Tsuki: **Don't you dare try to flame Xela or you'll learn why the Kyuubi clan is the most feared of the nine great youkai clans!  
**Xela:** Okay Tsuki calm down. No one's been mean to me yet. In fact, you have all been very supportive of me so thank you:

Chewie Cookies  
JoshK1o24  
THE HEE-HO KING  
Dragon Man 180  
adngo714

THANK YOU!!


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